Removing a SIM card from mobile - how hard can it be?
Discussion
I have spent all morning trying to remove the back of an old Nokia phone to get at the SIM card and it's proving a near impossible task.
This has been my trusty old Nokia mobile which I think was born 1 November 2009, that is the date that came up just before it died yesterday. Previously I have tried to find out what model it was and been unsuccessful. I've looked at the archive photos and it looks very similar to a 2330 or 1661 and possibly a 2700. I've watched numerous you tube videos of 'how to remove backs of phones' and people seem to be able to do it easily. So why is it proving nearly impossible for me?
My plan is to buy another phone and put the old phone's SIM in it.
Should I still persevere in my attempts? or is it best I take it to a mobile repair shop, if there are any open during lockdown, and get them to remove the SIM? If I bought a new phone from a shop like carphone warehouse would they remove the Sim as part of the service? I know the Vodafone shop is closed but are others open?
The other possibility is to try and rescue my phone number somehow, but I don't know how to do that either.
Any help as to what my next steps should be?
This has been my trusty old Nokia mobile which I think was born 1 November 2009, that is the date that came up just before it died yesterday. Previously I have tried to find out what model it was and been unsuccessful. I've looked at the archive photos and it looks very similar to a 2330 or 1661 and possibly a 2700. I've watched numerous you tube videos of 'how to remove backs of phones' and people seem to be able to do it easily. So why is it proving nearly impossible for me?
My plan is to buy another phone and put the old phone's SIM in it.
Should I still persevere in my attempts? or is it best I take it to a mobile repair shop, if there are any open during lockdown, and get them to remove the SIM? If I bought a new phone from a shop like carphone warehouse would they remove the Sim as part of the service? I know the Vodafone shop is closed but are others open?
The other possibility is to try and rescue my phone number somehow, but I don't know how to do that either.
Any help as to what my next steps should be?
If it's a really old phone then it's probably got a full-size SIM...which probably won't fit in a modern smartphone's nano/micro-SIM slot.
You can easily get a replacement SIM (now has cut-outs to resize it to micro/nano sizes) from your network provider - just log into your account and as for one...assuming you have an online account with them...or via their customer services number.
You can easily get a replacement SIM (now has cut-outs to resize it to micro/nano sizes) from your network provider - just log into your account and as for one...assuming you have an online account with them...or via their customer services number.
condor said:
I have spent all morning trying to remove the back of an old Nokia phone to get at the SIM card and it's proving a near impossible task.
I remember getting a new one in that era, and it was a swine of a job to get the back off to put my old SIM in.If you refuse to be beaten, there are two ways.
1. if the back is all in one piece and the join is a straight line all around the phone it is a simple (ha,ha) case of carefully prising it open all the way round. Eventually!!
2 if the back has a join in it, or if the joint line is curved, there is usually a little serrated area where you press down with one thumb while with your other two or three hands you try to slide it away from the curve.
Don't let it beat you!!
(or get a new Sim like all the sensible people above suggest)
Eventually I did manage to get the back off. Though if the phone wasn't broken beyond repair before, it is now. I suppose 10 years is an OK life for an old Nokia - guess the battery failed in the end.
I didn't realise you could ask for a new SIM so thanks, I'll keep that in mind. My SIM card is the original from early1990s and the standard size. I've now managed to get it into a cheap replacement phone which takes the mini size. I thought I might lose my phone number unless I got it going again.
I didn't realise you could ask for a new SIM so thanks, I'll keep that in mind. My SIM card is the original from early1990s and the standard size. I've now managed to get it into a cheap replacement phone which takes the mini size. I thought I might lose my phone number unless I got it going again.
condor said:
Eventually I did manage to get the back off. Though if the phone wasn't broken beyond repair before, it is now. I suppose 10 years is an OK life for an old Nokia - guess the battery failed in the end.
I keep a Nokia slide phone from 2006 as a standby. Battery life is excellent and I even got a replacement only a couple of years ago. Purely as a mobile telephone (!) it’s much better than any smartphone. Its camera, screen and everything else of course is rubbish.Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff